The hallway echoed with the sound of boots, getting louder with every step. I signaled Anna to keep quiet by putting a finger to my lips. My senses were awake, and my heart was racing. They were not here to bring good news, whatever was coming.
Just outside our cell, the steps came to a stop, and the silence was broken by a voice we knew.
"Well, well. If it isn't our favorite rogues," Dax said condescendingly, but with a hint of laughter. "I bet you didn't think I would be here tonight."
Despite the anger that was building inside of me, I kept my face neutral as I walked closer to the bars. "Dax. We owe the pleasure to what?"
His face was lit by the dim glow of the candle he was holding as he leaned against the bars. "I simply couldn't help myself. You see, we don't have visitors like you two very often, especially those with a lot of secrets."
Anna moved behind me, her back straight. "Dax, what do you want?"
His amused eyes glinted as he grinned. "Oh, don't worry, my love. I'm not here to cause you any harm. At least not yet. I was simply hoping we could talk for a little while."
"About what?" I asked in a calm tone.
His eyes met mine and he said, "About you, Caleb. Or, perhaps more correctly, whoever you truly are."
I tensed up, my thoughts racing. He was unable to know the truth. But I felt sick to my stomach from the way he was looking at me.
"What are you talking about?" I asked, trying to be perplexed.
Dax shook his head and laughed. "Don't act stupid around me. You've been under my watch. Your story doesn't match with your speech or your demeanor. Something is being hidden by you."
"And why do you believe that?" I moved closer to the bars in answer.
"Just call it instinct," he shrugged. "Or perhaps you're simply too well-dressed for a rogue. Too... orderly."
I refrained from retaliating by clenching my hands. He wasn't totally incorrect, but I couldn't allow him to understand that.
Anna's words broke the tension as she said, "You're wasting your time. Everything we know has already been shared with you."
Dax's grin grew as he turned to face her. "Oh, I'm sure you have. But here's the thing, Lia—liars always slip up eventually. And when you do, I'll be right here to catch you."
I could feel Anna's anger radiating from behind me, but I kept my attention on Dax. He was too close, too careless. If I could just distract him long enough...
"Why are you even here?" I asked, my tone harsh. "Shouldn't you be off kissing the Alpha's boots?"
His smile faded for a split second, and I saw my chance. I shifted slightly, my eyes jumping to the ring of keys hanging from his belt. They moved with every movement, tantalizingly close.
"Careful, rogue," Dax warned, his voice dropping to a deadly tone. "You don't want to push your luck."
"I think we're already out of luck," I remarked, trying a sour laugh. "But you? You're just a pawn, aren't you? Running errands for someone who doesn't even respect you."
Dax's eyes narrowed, and he stepped closer to the bars. "Watch your mouth, or I'll make you regret it."
Behind me, I heard Anna's sudden intake of air. She knew what I was trying to do, and the tension in the air was almost oppressive.
I leaned against the bars, moving casually in spite of the rush of energy. "What do you regret? Speaking the truth? You are nothing more than a lazy lapdog, Dax."
His face contorted in anger, and I quickly feared that he would snap. Instead, a cool smile grew across his face as he straightened up.
"Don't you think you're smart?" His voice was filled with contempt as he spoke. "Well, Caleb—or whatever you are—let me tell you something. You're not as clever as you believe."
He took a step back, and I became angry. I was running out of time, and the keys were still out of reach.
With his eyes moving between Anna and me, Dax went on, "You can keep playing your little games. It won't matter, though. In one way or another, the Alpha will acquire what he wants."
"And what is that?" Anna asked, her voice staying steady despite the anxiety.
Dax smiled, but it was without pleasure. "The truth. You will wish you had never entered this area once he gets it."
He then turned on his heel, the keys jingling derisively as he did so.
"Wait," I called, my voice beginning to sound desperate. "You can't simply abandon us here!"
He stopped and smiled as he looked over his shoulder. "Yes, I am able to. And I will."
He grabbed the wall-mounted torch and blew it out before we could say another word. Darkness filled the cell, oppressive and thick.
"Get a good night's sleep," Dax whispered, his voice resonating in the darkness.
His footsteps stopped, and we were left alone in the dark chamber. I slammed my hand on the bars while muttering a series of curses.
"Lucas," Anna said in a tremulous tone. "How are we going to proceed?"
I inhaled deeply while trying to keep my composure. Despite the darkness encroaching on us, I said strongly, "We're going to get out of here. No matter the cost."
However, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that time was running out as I leaned back against the chilly stone wall, my thoughts whirling with ideas and options. And we might not have another chance if we didn't take quick action.
With my luggage draped over my shoulder and a weary but determined heart, I stood at the edge of the woodland. Beside me were Lucas and Maia, whose faces reflected mine: a mixture of resolve and melancholy.Cain came toward us, his eyes full of resolution but his face etched with fatigue. Although he had been among Oliver's most devoted soldiers, the insurrection had altered him. We were leaving him in control after he had fought with us and put his life in danger for the pack."Are you sure about this?" he said softly.I gave a nod. "Cain, you're the greatest option. You are trusted by the pack. They will follow you."He paused, his eyes darting between Maia and Lucas. "How about the three of you? Where are you going?""Somewhere new," was all I said. "A place where we can start again."Cain's face softened as he nodded. "You've done enough for this pack. More than sufficient. Go if this is what you need. We'll be alright."I said my
In the broken remnants of Nightshade's great hall, the firelight wavered, creating unsettling shadows on the stone walls. I had nothing left to offer the pack, but they continued to hover, perhaps awaiting guidance. There was still a weight in my chest. I didn't feel like I had won, even though Oliver was defeated and his rule was overthrown by the people he used to rule.Sitting next to me on a splintered wooden bench, Maia was looking off into space as she absently traced a scar over her arm. Ever the guardian, Lucas stood a few feet away, his gaze sweeping the still audience.After a long pause, Lucas whispered, "They need a leader." He spoke in a quiet, wary tone. "Someone to rebuild what's left."Slowly, I nodded. "They need someone," I said, then looked over at Maia.She stiffened as I stared at her. "Don't even think about it."I cocked my head. "Why not?"She gave a dry laugh, but it was devoid of any humor. "Becaus
The trumpet's call echoed through the broken remains of Nightshade, a sound that once sent fear rippling through the pack but now carried a different weight. A summons. A reckoning.I stood in the heart of the pack's gathering grounds, where months ago, I had watched Leo be condemned to death. My fingers tightened into fists at my sides as I forced myself to take in every detail... the stone platform, the lofty arches, the wooden beams above that had once felt oppressive. The torches flickered, casting long shadows against the walls, just like they had that night.Only this time, it wasn't Leo standing before the pack.It was Oliver.He was on his knees in the center of the hall, bound, his body battered and broken. Blood matted his dark hair, his once-imposing body slumped forward in exhaustion. The very warriors who had formerly battled under him stood around the perimeter of the hall, their gazes flitting between me and the fall
There was silence on the battlefield.The silence was not one that resulted from relief or tranquility. It was the thick, stifling type that comes after a storm, as though the world itself was holding its breath. The ground was covered in fallen people, and the air was heavy with the smell of smoke and blood. With a mixture of amazement and incredulity, the rebels who had survived the slaughter and were still standing glanced at Anna.Oliver was lying at her feet, immobile and broken. His burnt body stood out sharply against the blood-soaked ground below, and his once-imposing figure had now collapsed into a crumpled heap. He was not yet dead, but he was very nearly so. His chest rose and fell in weak, irregular spasms, and his breaths were shallow.With her shoulders heaving and her hands still burning dimly from the last of her power, Anna stood over him. Her hair was knotted and wild, and her face was stained with blood and filth, but her ey
All I could do was observe.My entire existence begged me to step in, step in, and support Anna as she faced Oliver alone. However, I was unable to.I shouldn't.This was her fight.Standing opposite Oliver, Anna's body was bruised and covered in blood, yet her unwavering will remained burning. I had never seen the raw electricity crackle in the air around her before. It was hazardous, untamed, and wild. There was nothing weak about the dim glow that flickered from her palms, like a fading ember. The ground beneath her boots seemed to be reacting to her, quivering in expectation of what lay ahead.Oliver rolled his shoulders and grinned as though this were merely a minor annoyance. I shuddered at his self-assurance. For so long, he had ruled by terror, destroying anybody who tried to oppose him. He now considered Anna to be simply another idiot who believed they could prevail.However, she wasn't.
The battlefield was a bloody, chaotic nightmare.The night was filled with screams as the rebels gave it their all in battle, but Oliver's forces were unrelenting and mercilessly defeated us. My muscles ached from the never ending battle, and I was breathing in ragged breaths, but there was no time to pause. Another life was lost with every second that passed.Maia was down.Across the field, I saw her fall, hitting the ground with a horrible crack. As I surged at her, avoiding an enemy's claws at the last second, my stomach knotted in terror."Maia!" I fell on my knees next to her. Her breathing was shallow, and blood was leaking from a deep wound along her shoulder.Her body trembled uncontrollably as she attempted to push herself up. "I'm fine," she rasped, but I could tell she wasn't."You're not," I said as I applied pressure to the cut. My palm was stained by the warmth of her blood, and my chest developed a hollow hole.Lucas s